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ORIENTAL UPDATE

By Joe Koizumi
In less than 60 days from January 29, there will be five world title bouts to be staged in Japan, which might show our boxing scene flourishes also this year despite this country’s recession.

WBA MINIMUM ELIMINATION BOUT ON JAN. 29

Ex-WBA 105-pound champ Japan’s Keitaro Hoshino, 22-7, 6 KOs,
and Filipino Joma Gamboa, 31-6-1, 22 KOs, will fight for the vacant WBA throne in Yokohama on January 29. This is a grudge fight for the tiny contestants, as Hoshino dethroned Gamboa by an upset hairline decision in December, 2000. Hoshino yielded his crown to veteran Thailander Chana Porpaoin, who lost it to unbeaten Japanese youngster Yutaka Niida last August. But Niida astoundingly announced his farewell to the ring without a single defense to renounce the WBA diadem. The skillful Japanese, 32, and the hard-hitting Filipino, 28, will put on a competitive fight.

WBC SUPER-BANTAM TITLE BOUT ON FEB. 5

Unbeaten but long inactive Willie Jorrin, 28-0, 12 KOs, will come back to the stage in Tokyo, where he will defend his WBC 122-pound belt against upcoming Osamu Sato, 25-1-1, 14 KOs, in Tokyo on February 5. Jorrin, who acquired the vacant WBC throne via controversial nod over Michael Brodie in Manchester, England, in 2000, is a crafty counterpuncher, while Sato is an aggressive puncher who recently relinquished the tiel of the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF). It may be a competitive battle, since Sato is physically superior and is reckoned as more powerful, given Jorrin’s cleverness.

WBC LIGHT FLYWEIGHT TITLE BOUT ON FEB. 23

WBC 108-pound champ Yosam Choi, Korea, will put his title on the line against Japanese newcomer Shingo Yamaguchi, 11-2-1, 5 KOs, in Chiba on February 23. The WBC lately allowed Choi, 23-1, 12 KOs, to make a voluntary defense prior to his obliged unification bout with the interim champ Jorge Arce of Mexico. Yamaguchi upset the WBC #10 ranked national champ Keisuke Yokoyama in his previous bout on December 19. Choi, who had dethroned Thailander Saman Sorjaturong in 1999, was one of the most notoriously inactive WBC champs along with Willie Jorrin, even if there was a serious economic problem in Korea. Choi is a prohibitive prefight favorite, but Yamaguchi has nothing to lose in this ambitious crack.

WBA SUPER-FLY TITLE BOUT ON MARCH 9

Durable lefty Celes Shoji Kobayashi, Japan, will risk his WBA 115-pound throne against top contender Alexander Munoz, an unbeaten Venezuelan, in Tokyo on March 9. Munoz, 21-0, 21 KOs, is the brightest prospect in Venezuela that is highly expected to capture the WBA belt. But Kobayashi, 24-4-3, 14 KOs, boasts of iron jaw and tight defense, plus tremendous stamina, with which he will try to outhustle the mandatory contender at his home turf.

WBC SUPER-FLY TITLE BOUT ON MARCH 23

WBC 115-pound champ Masamori Tokuyama, a North Korean residing in Osaka, will face ex-OPBF ruler Kazuhiro Ryuko, Japan, with his belt at stake in Yokohama on March 23. Tokuyama, making his 4th defense, is favored to retain his throne due to his superior experience in defending it against Akihiko Nago, ex-champs Injoo Cho and Gerry Penalosa to his credit. But the crafty lefty Ryuko has flashing hand speed, which may be matched with that of the defending champ. It will be an encounter of our best speedsters.

TERRIBLE TIM STILL ROUGH AND READY
SOUTH FLORIDA HEAVYWEIGHT
ORIENTAL UPDATE